


Shape of You

by ThatGayFriend



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/F, Fluffy, Kickboxing, MMA, PTSD, so much consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 23:02:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10581306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatGayFriend/pseuds/ThatGayFriend
Summary: Raven Reyes hasn't been the same after her accident and horrible break up. Her friend's girlfriend, Lexa Woods, is an annoying, health-crazed kickboxing/MMA trainee and wants her to try it out. After weeks of insisting annoyance, Raven agrees and, well, she won't admit that Lexa is right.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I know there has been a lot of radio silence recently, but know that I have not forgotten about any of my stories and I fully intend on completing all of them. Life is just busy and I will find time for them as soon as possible. But anyway, this is a one-shot I came up with based off of the video for Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. It was originally going to be Clexa, but I decided to broaden my horizons and look into a different couple, so Octaven it was. I hope you enjoy. There is a bit of Clexa though, because I can never resist it. Leave a comment and let me know what you think! ~TGF
> 
> B/N: Shape of You is completely my jam even tho I can’t sing worth a shit, I belt it whenever it’s on. I was too damned excited when TGF told me she was going to be writing a one-shot to this and now that I’ve read it, I can guarantee you will all demand more! So please, leave this writer some love and demand away! We need more! We need more! Enjoy guys! ~RhydianKnight

**Shape of You**

Raven was never the type of person to resort to physical violence. She normally preferred to solve her problems by using her hands and building something. Now though, after her accident, her leg had become anything but useful. Yet her best friend’s girlfriend, Lexa Woods, was an insistent woman who rarely took ‘no’ for an answer. Maybe, Raven was vividly imagining strangling Lexa because she was such a pain in the ass.

Lexa had begun insisting that Raven should join her MMA gym, to release some pent up aggression. Raven didn’t think she was aggressive, but Lexa seemed to. After weeks of being pestered, Raven’s resolve had been weathered into nothing and she finally succumbed. After her accident, it had been difficult to get out of bed but months of physical therapy had Raven nearly back to her old life with a painful limp in every step. But Lexa and Clarke were still concerned because Raven wasn’t acting the same as she had before.

They both noticed her depression and the extensive amount of alcohol she consumed, it had started to get out of hand when she started missing work. Clarke sometimes noticed expressions of pure loss and sadness on Raven’s face when she thought nobody was looking. But Clarke noticed and sometimes, it scared her.

            In Raven’s opinion, she was a little depressed and _maybe_ she drank a bit too much but it was expected after everything she had been through. She wasn’t the same as she had been and she didn’t think she ever would be. Raven’s leg would be a constant reminder of what Finn had done and all the heartbreak she had been through. Maybe she was a little resentful too, but nobody could really blame her.

            But finally, Lexa had badgered her so much that Raven had nearly been driven to insanity. She’d tried to avoid Lexa, but if she wanted to hang out with Clarke, it was like the other woman was attached to her hip. It wasn’t that Raven disliked Lexa, she was just insistent and had Clarke wrapped around her finger.

            Lexa was a very special person, Raven knew. She was ridiculously fit and was training to be a professional kickboxer. She was all about staying healthy and active and _somehow_ had convinced Clarke to start running. Clarke was not an active person and yet there she was, somehow managing to get even more attractive than she already was.

            “Fine, I’ll go!” Raven had loudly slammed her hands against the table at their local coffee shop. The one thing Lexa wouldn’t go without was coffee, even though she knew caffeine wasn’t healthy. Lexa had been going on about how awesome Indra was and the beginners program was pretty laid back. “Just _shut up_ already, I swear.”

            Lexa smirked, her arm lazily thrown around Clarke’s shoulders as the blonde sat and she stood. “I knew if I was annoying enough you’d cave.”

            “Shut up,” Raven glared at her “I’ll go, but I’m not going with you. I’ll go alone, what’s the address?”

~   ~   ~

            That’s how Raven found herself in a low-lit gym. There were stickers all over the place for sponsors and the walls were a dull brick, but the floors were clean and organized. There were punching bags along the wall to the left where a window let in faded light. Speed-bags set at all heights were tied to the ceiling and hooked to the floor along the other. Free weights and a heavy bag stand were along the far wall, on the other side of the boxing ring, which stood in the middle of the warehouse-like building.

            The lockers were located with the free weights, where the walls pinched in and opened up again to provide the area with a bit more privacy. Raven kept her head low and tightened her grip on her bag as she avoided several boxers warming up with jump ropes.

It was late on a chilly Tuesday night and Raven had picked today because she knew Clarke and Lexa had a date, which meant there wouldn’t be anyone there judging her on how she worked out. There was one girl near the back with her legs wrapped around a punching bag doing crunches. It looked effortless the way she rose and fell, as if she was levitating and not using her muscles.

Raven nearly tripped because this girl was _fucking hot_. She had that whole _I’m hot and I know it_ vibe but she managed to work it well. Her dark hair was tied up tightly in a bun, her face was cherry red and the outline of her biceps were obvious with every flex. She was dressed in a sports bra, yoga pants and had padded gloves on her hands. With every crunch, she did some sort of cross punch without hitting the bag. Her movements were slow and calculated and Raven’s muscles screamed in agony for her.

Raven had to suck in a deep breath to keep from losing her cool and the girl must have noticed because she stretched out her body and winked in Raven’s direction. She felt her face heat up and she moved faster, going to a locker and locking up her stuff. She stripped off her outer layers until she was left in her tank top and pulled out her brand-new boxing gloves. She settled a pair of wireless earbuds around her neck and connected it to her phone.

Awkwardly and a little uncomfortably, Raven walked back out into the main gym and set herself up against the furthest bag away from the other brunette. She started up some music and tried to shake the illogical feeling that everyone was watching her. The playlist was one of her heavier lists that had Raven’s blood boiling in seconds.

It was easy enough to harness the feeling and go to town on beating the shit out of the punching bag. Lexa had tried to give her a few pointers before she’d gone, but Raven had chosen to ignore it. All she wanted to do was get some anger out. Anger about Finn breaking her heart. Anger about the accident. Angry about being disabled and angry at the world for giving her such a shitty life.

Eventually, Raven’s arms grew tired, her stomach ached and sweat dripped into her eyes. She paused for a moment and allowed herself a water break, unsure of how much time had passed. Just as she was pulling out her earbuds, her eyes met the fighter who was still working out on the other punching bag.

“You’ve got a lot of anger there.”

Raven narrowed her eyes and gulped down more of her water, opting to stay silent. She wasn’t here to make friends and the girl’s tone seemed condescending. The girl had a smirk playing on her lip as if she found Raven ridiculous and knew something she didn’t. It irked the scientist to no end.

But the brunette didn’t seem to get the picture and sauntered over, leaning against Raven’s punching bag. She was smaller than Raven, but much denser. The way she moved was smooth and lithe, like she barely had to step to propel herself forward. The way she leaned against the punching bag looked like she belonged in some type of magazine as a sporty supermodel.

Raven’s thoughts made her blush and she rolled her eyes up towards the ceiling, attempting to keep her facial expression as stoic as possible. The other girl didn’t seem to notice though, her smirk still plastered on her face and one perfect eyebrow taunting Raven.

“If you twisted your feet right, you would be much more effective with your punches.”

“I’m not here for a lesson, thanks,” Raven rolled her eyes and moved to plug her earbuds back in. With a narrowed look at the brunette she went back to her position in front of the bag and hoped her eyes translated the message that she didn’t want the other girl here.

The girl rolled her eyes, the smirk finally dropping, “Whatever you say, noodle.”

It took Raven a moment to process what she had said. “Excuse me?”

“What?” the girl turned back around.

“What did you call me?”

“Noodle. You’re too tiny for this, you’ve gotta build muscle if you ever seriously want to consider fighting. Also, you’re going to tear apart the tendons in your wrists if you don’t start punching correctly.”

“Thanks for the pointers,” Raven wanted to add some condescending nickname to her reply but couldn’t think of anything creative enough. Raven’s frustrated was evident because everyone constantly said she was always lacking in some part for what she wanted to do. Either she was too smart or her job was too important to her or there was something physically wrong with her and she couldn’t do what she wanted. Now, with her leg as fucked up as it was, she couldn’t do much of anything except struggle to _walk_.

The girl turned away and Raven plugged in her music once again. She vowed to find another gym if she ever chose to work out again.

~   ~   ~

            It was _finally_ the weekend and the soreness from her first workout was finally fading. Clarke and Lexa had insisted on inviting her out to their local bar, which was what they always did every weekend, but it was nice to be extended an invitation rather than just assumed to be there. She had ended up not returning to the gym, mostly because she could barely get out of bed the next day for therapy. But also a small part of her didn’t want to run into that girl who called her ‘Noodle’.

Raven arrived a little late and found Clarke and Lexa snuggled up in a dimly lit booth at the back of the bar. The jukebox was blasting some type of modern rap that Raven didn’t listen to and the bar was just starting to speed up as happy hour started.

Lexa insisted on paying for the first round and after that, Raven was required to outdo her. Three shots in and the trio was laughing loudly and talking adamantly with each other. Clarke had eventually gravitated to sitting beside Raven and Lexa was left alone, but it didn’t bother any of them.

Originally, Raven hadn’t liked Lexa because she’d felt like she wasn’t good enough for Clarke. Having been best friends with the blonde since before high school, they’d experienced a lot together—including a very brief attempt at a relationship that had ended with both realizing that they were much better friends.

To Raven, Lexa had been a cocky asshole and Clarke had eaten it up. Both girls tended to fall for assholes and they each tried to look out for the other, especially when it happened. But Clarke had been insistent and once Raven had gotten to know Lexa she’d realized it was just a front. Sometimes, Clarke got jealous of the friendship Lexa and Raven shared, but it didn’t bother her much, she was just glad that Raven was doing alright.

“Oh shit, I forgot to tell you, Rae,” Lexa squinted at her phone. “A friend of mine is coming from the gym, I think you’ll really like her.”

“Who?”

            “My friend Octavia Blake, she’s training with me. We’re both participating in this tournament coming up in a couple of weeks.” Lexa picked up her phone again when the screen lit up. “It looks like she’s here, I’ll be right back.” She stood and headed to the entrance.

“Whose Octavia?” Raven asked, interest piquing as she turned to Clarke.

“She’s a friend of Lexa’s, apparently, they met through Lexa’s trainer Indra. She’s nice. I’ve met her a couple times. She and Lex get along really well,” Clarke smiled.

“Oh? Feeling any jealousy, Griff?” Raven leaned backwards and put her arm around the blonde’s shoulder. “Because, you know, I’m always up for making Woods jealous.”

Clarke rolled her eyes and elbowed Raven in the ribs, “Those three shots hit you hard, huh?”

“Nuh-uh. I could go another three rounds, I mean, I have been working out,” Raven pretended to punch Clarke, sending the girl into a fit of laugher. Raven grinned because Clarke’s laughter was contagious.

“I really wouldn’t call that working out, Noodle,” it was that familiar, annoying husky voice from the gym. The girl who had tried to give her pointers and had only succeeded in annoying Raven. The brunette grimaced and turned to face the woman.

“So you’re Octavia?”

“You must be Raven,” Octavia had that smirk on her face again, the one that said she knew more than she was letting on. Or maybe she had somehow planned this, the impish look on her face just didn’t sit well with Raven.

Raven’s heart fluttered lightly in her chest when they formally shook hands. Clarke slipped out of the seat next to Raven and moved around to sit by her girlfriend, noticing the intensity between the two women. She definitely didn’t want to get in the middle of _that_ and opted to force Octavia to sit with Raven.

“You two know each other?” Lexa was frowning like a confused puppy, her eyebrows scrunched and head tilted slightly to the side.

“I wouldn’t say _know_ ,” Raven gave Lexa one of her withering glares. “But we met when I went to your stupid gym earlier this week and she was being a meathead about how I punched.”

“A meathead? Really?” Octavia turned so her torso was facing Raven a disbelieving frown on her striking face. Raven didn’t really like the look, she much preferred the smirk, but when she caught her line of thought, she scowled.

“Yes, you’re the one who called me Noodle, I thought it was only fair.”

“Woods, this girl cannot punch to save her life. Most of the weight goes straight to the growth plate and she doesn’t even use her full weight. It’s sad really.”

Raven scoffed, her walls going up. “I don’t need your judgement, you asshole.”

“Oh god,” Clarke groaned, “this is going to be a long night. I’ll go grab us some more shots from the bar.”

~   ~   ~

            Three more rounds later and two beers deep, Raven was much more open to suggestion. Octavia had sort of grown on her, _like a fungus_ , she tried to amend. The brunette was witty, even in her drunken state, and still managed to keep up with Raven.

            Raven’s initial distaste for Octavia had simmered after realizing that the woman could keep up with her. Raven had an ego and sometimes unconsciously thought she was better—at least intellectually—than anyone in the room. She tried everything she could to stump this girl, and even in her drunkenness, Octavia had managed to catch up on whatever aerodynamics quiz Raven tossed her way.

            They kept challenging each other, spit-firing questions or scenarios and both somehow managed to figure the other out. It was frustrating and arousing when someone else could keep up with Raven Reyes. They pushed and pulled at each other, like attractive and repelling magnets all at the same time.

            Eventually, Raven had eyes only for Octavia, Clarke and Lexa forgotten but both in their own little world together. Once they finally determined they were at a stalemate, Octavia convinced Raven that a dart game would be the deciding factor. Raven didn’t really know when they had vocalized that this was a competition, but she didn’t really mind. But, she knew she was no good at darts. She had a sure, steady hand, but _God_ her aim was horrid. That didn’t stop her though.

            Together, they headed to the line of dartboards and set up a game. The music was louder over here and a couple of people were dancing by the jukebox, having found a reason to grind on each other during a heavy bass rap song.

            Neither of them really won the game, both were too drunk to even properly see the dartboard, it kept swimming in Raven’s eyes. At one point, Octavia had started dancing to the music during Raven’s turn. She wiggled that tight, Kickboxing ass and Raven nearly drooled, her mind completely short-circuited. As she let go of the dart it went sailing to the floor and Octavia doubled over with laughter.

            “What the hell was that, Reyes?!” She cackled loudly, gesturing to the dart with her beer as it lay sadly on the floor. She clutched her other hand to her belly and roared with laughter.

            “You distracted me!” Raven pointed an accusing dart at the smaller woman, though she was smiling too.

            “How did I do _that_?” she gestured to the epic fail again.

            “You can’t shake your ass like that and _not_ expect someone to have a stroke!” Raven blurted, her filter utterly gone as well as her inhibitions. Alcohol tended to boost her confidence with women. She blushed after her words escaped and opened her mouth to attempt to backtrack.

            Octavia’s face had frozen with shock before that _damnable_ Blake smirk—as Raven was beginning to call it—spread across the girl’s face. “You like my ass, Reyes?” She took several steps forward, her hips swaying sensually. Raven didn’t know if it was intentional or not, but _God_ she wanted to put her hands on this woman so badly it made her fingers tingle.

She licked her dry lips as Octavia stopped mere inches from her and felt as though the temperature in the bar had skyrocketed to unbearable. “It’s not too bad.” Raven tried to play it off and backtrack on her outburst. But she was absolutely lost in the hazel of Octavia’s eyes and had to clear her throat at their proximity.

“Dance with me,” Octavia changed the subject.

“I can’t,” the mood was suddenly broken as Raven remembered her leg. She glanced away from Octavia and down at her feet, very conscious of her brace.  She hadn’t tried to dance, but walking was hard enough.

Octavia rolled her eyes and grabbed Raven’s hand, lacing their fingers together as if it was the easiest thing in the world. “Yes, you can. Now come on,” she tugged until Raven was forced to take a step towards her, as if this was the easiest thing in the world. Maybe for her it was.

“No, Octavia,” it came out harsher than intended, nearly a growl. But Raven’s irritation and insecurity were higher than they had been the entire night. “I _can’t_ dance.”

Octavia’s eyes seemed to cloud with confusion before her eyebrows furrowed in concern. She stepped forward again, pressing all her hard edges and soft curves to Raven’s. “Come on, just follow me. You don’t have to dance, I can do all the work.”

Raven’s brain seemed to short circuit, the entire night they hadn’t touched each other except for the occasional brush of a hand. She was in no position to argue with this woman pressed so tightly against her she could feel every breath Octavia inhaled and exhaled. “Fine.”

Octavia’s smile was so bright that Raven couldn’t help a small one that spread across her own lips. She drew Raven’s hands up and to her hips before leading her in the direction of the jukebox. The bass was thumping through the room, having grown louder as people got drunker and wanted to dance.

The women tried to sync their movements, Raven’s a little more jerky and awkward than Octavia’s, but not all around horrible. Octavia looped her arms around Raven’s neck, bringing their hips flushed.

Across the room, Clarke and Lexa were intimately snuggled together in their booth. Clarke had changed her position so she was sitting across Lexa’s lap with her arms around the brunette’s neck. Lexa had one hand at the small of Clarke’s back and the other resting on her thigh, just above her knee. Both were observing their friends with knowing looks.

“What did I tell you?” Clarke smirked victoriously.

Lexa rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but smile at the blonde. She was doing that little wiggle victory dance that Lexa found adorable. “Are you looking for me to tell you that you’re right?”

“Maybe,” Clarke pouted, drawing out the _a_.

Lexa grinned and leaned forward, “Fine, you’re right, you’re incredibly right. You’re never wrong, you’re just always so perfect and right.” She tightened her arms around Clarke tickled her sides, making the blonde squeak and squirm and giggle. She buried her face in the younger girl’s neck and blew air on her skin. Clarke was always sensitive when it came to her neck, when Lexa blew on it, she nearly lost it.

Clarke slapped at Lexa’s arms and tried to wriggle away but was unsuccessful, seeing as her girlfriend was in insane shape. The brunette finally let go and they both dissolved into a fit of giggles. Clarke leaned in close and pressed a chaste kiss to her girlfriend’s lips, “You’re pretty damn perfect yourself, Lex.”

“I’m not perfect.” Lexa blushed, glancing away. The blues of Clarke’s eyes were so deep and sincere sometimes she felt like she was drowning in them. Lexa wasn’t used to someone being so open with how they feel about her or as sincere either. This entire relationship, their dynamic was new and sometimes it scared Lexa.

“You’re my perfect then,” Clarke shrugged nonchalantly, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Being a perfect person would just be no fun, I guess.”

“Well then, you’re down right _boring_ , Clarke Griffin.”

Clarke laughed, one of those startled, unexpected ones that just burst out of her. Instead of responding she pressed her lips to Lexa’s hard, trying to convey the words she hadn’t dared to say yet for fear of being rejected. It had taken her long enough to get Lexa the first time, she wasn’t going to risk scaring the girl off again by jumping the gun on her feelings.

When she pulled away, Lexa’s eyes were lidded and dark. A knot of hot desire had settled into the pit of the brunette’s stomach and she couldn’t help but notice the heat that seemed to radiate from Clarke.

“Want to get out of here?”

Clarke cleared her throat a little, her eyes finally pulling from Lexa’s lips and turning in the direction she had last seen Octavia and Raven. “Are you sure we-”

When her eyes landed on the two, Raven’s hands were all over Octavia’s body and they were dancing on each other in a manner that was more appropriate for a club, not a bar. Their faces were close together and they seemed to be lost in each other. “Never mind,” Clarke cleared her throat. “They won’t miss us. Let’s go.”

Clarke took a tight hold of Lexa’s hand and slipped out of the booth, pulling them both to their feet. They were just about to make a clean get away when Raven called out her name and Octavia did the same to Lexa.

Both turned around sheepishly, feeling caught and a little guilty. “Heeeey, guys.” Lexa waved awkwardly.

“Where are you going?” Raven asked, digging her hands into her pockets to keep them away from Octavia. She was still breathing heavy and there was sweat beading on her brow too. Her leg was throbbing and she knew she’d overworked it, but that didn’t dampen the giddiness or happiness she was feeling for the first time in months.

“We were just…” Lexa glanced at Clarke. “Want to take that?”

Clarke shook her head and stepped away, glancing down at her toes.

“They’re going home to screw like rabbits, Raven,” Octavia grinned and stepped closer to Raven, brushing their shoulders together. “You were supposed to be my ride, Woods.”

Lexa shrugged sheepishly and stayed silent.

            “I can drive you,” Raven turned to give her full attention to Octavia with a smile. Her entire face seemed to soften as her eyes trailed over the smaller girl’s features.

            “You’ve been drinking, I don’t want you driving.” Octavia frowned disapprovingly and looped an arm casually through Raven’s, whose hand was still buried in her pocket.  Her fingers brushed lightly over the inside of Raven’s bicep and Raven’s brain was turned to mush.

            It took her a moment to focus on anything besides Octavia’s touch and formulate a response, “Um, I mean…we can sit here and sober up if you’re willing to wait. Or…do you have to be somewhere?”

            Octavia shook her head, “No, I can wait. Nowhere I’d rather be.”

            Clarke and Lexa shared an annoyed look, both slightly sickened at the obvious infatuation between the two women before them. Clarke had known they would hit it off while Lexa had thought it would be a disaster. Raven’s personality could be a hard pill to swallow and Octavia was an intense person naturally. Both were too stubborn to admit they were wrong and their relationship could have just been an explosion of epic proportions.

            “Fine, okay,” Raven tried not to let those words go to her head and turned back to Clarke and Lexa to hide her blush. “Get your horny asses out of here, I don’t want to be around either of you when you’re like this anyway.”

            Clarke grinned and clasped Lexa’s hand in hers. “Let’s go, babe!”

            Octavia and Raven watched them go. They ended up migrating to the bar where it was easier for Raven to stretch her leg and both of them could get a glass of water. She didn’t say anything, but god her leg was throbbing. This was the most activity she had done besides therapy since the accident and it was really taking a toll on her.

            “So I have a question,” Octavia stated, dropping a hand to Raven’s bad knee and completely ignoring the brace. It made Raven’s stomach twist with nerves because nobody Raven knew well had touched it before, except Clarke who had been the person who took care of her before she could take care of herself.

            “That would be?” Raven took a sip of her water to calm her nerves.

            “You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to,” Octavia was sort of resting between Raven’s legs. Raven was sitting on a stool and facing parallel to the bar with one hand on her water and the other resting on her leg, inches from Octavia’s hand. She wanted to rub the muscles there, but she didn’t want Octavia to be concerned about her.

            “Octavia,” instead of worrying about her leg, she took a risk and grabbed the woman’s hand. “Just ask me.”

            “You’re…leg, I was just wondering how it happened.” Octavia noticed the way Raven’s face instantly slacked and her expression stoic. She was getting defensive and shutting down, so the kickboxer tried to backtrack. “I just…I don’t mean to pry, I was just curio-”

            “Octavia.”

            “-us, I guess and I’m just a curious person and I-”

            “Octavia!” Raven shook the girl a bit to get her attention. “I got into an accident, a bad accident.”

            “Oh, I-when?”

            “It’ll be a year in May,” Raven sighed, “I had just gotten out of a bad relationship and I was an emotional wreck. It was really just a freak accident though. I didn’t look when I crossed the street and someone hit me.”

            “Oh my god, Raven,” Octavia frowned and squeezed Raven’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”

            “Don’t be,” Raven shrugged and tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. She didn’t want Octavia’s pity and seeing it in her eyes made Raven’s stomach twist. “It's not your fault, it's really nobody’s fault. It just happens to some people.”

            There was a self-deprecating tone to Raven’s voice and Octavia squeezed the woman’s hand again, “You didn’t _deserve_ this, Raven. No matter what happened to you in the past or maybe what you’ve done that you regret, you didn’t deserve this.”

            Raven blinked and cleared her throat of the sudden ball of emotions stuck there. She had never really thought of that, maybe she was blaming herself and maybe she did think she deserved this. “Could we talk about something else?”

            Octavia nodded and took a sip of her water, she could have just overstepped Raven’s boundaries, so she decided backing down without a fight was her best option. “So you’re a mechanic right?”

            “ _Mechanic_ , is more of a general term. Right now, I work in a lab for a developmental company. I’ve been working with a team of biochemists and epidemiologists and environmentalists on some pollution solutions.”

            “What does that mean?”

            “It means that I’m a stupid car mechanic to all of their doctorates and shit. They think I’m an idiot because all I can do is build stuff for them. I mean, I know a lot about car mechanics, biological engineering and astrophysics but apparently they don’t understand that. Especially since I’ve had to take so much time off for my leg,” Raven wiggled it a little bit.

            “I’d just kick all of their asses if I were you,” Octavia chuckled, “give ‘em a nice big old fuck you and then walk out.”

            Raven rolled her eyes with a smile. “Yeah, what’s life like as an MMA trainee?”

            “Oh, you probably know a little bit from Lexa. Indra’s a hardass and most of my time is spent working out and hitting other people.”

            “Do you do anything besides train?”

            “I mean, I’m a barista at a coffee shop on Main Street. I hang out with Lexa sometimes and my brother and his husband on other days. Mostly, though, I stick to myself.”

            “Your brother has a husband?”

            “Yeah, Bellamy got married last year to John, they’re honestly the most adorable couple I’ve ever met.”

            Raven leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “Don’t tell Clarke and Lexa that. I’m pretty sure they think they’re the most adorable couple out there.”

            Octavia shook her head and stepped even closer, running her hands up Raven’s thighs lightly, her fingertips barely brushing over Raven’s jeans. Her eyebrows rose in that way they did when Raven knew she was teasing and that Blake smirk made another appearance. Raven’s heart skipped in her chest and she had to suck in a deep breath to calm her nerves.

            The MMA fighter leaned in so close Raven thought she was going to be kissed for a split second. That was until Octavia leaned back once again, though not far enough away to ruin the possibility. “You know, I don’t know if I think Bellamy and John are the cutest couple anymore.”

            “You think Clarke and Lexa are?” Raven licked her lips.

            “No.”

            “Then who?”

            “Well, I mean,” Octavia turned her head and in the low light of the bar, Raven noticed her fair cheeks darken considerably. “Nevermind, it was a stupid thought.”

            “No,” Raven drew out the word, smiling at the woman’s awkwardness. “Tell me, I want to know.”

            Octavia drew away, running a hand through her hair and looking up at the ceiling for a split second before pulling herself together. “I like you, Raven, and I want to know if possibly you’d maybe want to go out on a date with me sometime.”

            Raven blinked, once again surprised by Octavia. They barely knew each other and yeah, she liked Octavia and was kind of afraid of it. They had hit it off well, yet Octavia felt way out of Raven’s lead. “Are you serious?”

            “What?” Octavia winced and backed away even further until they weren’t touching at all. “I’m sorry, I thought maybe you would want to. I thought we were really compatible. But if you don’t want to we don’t have to, we can pretend like I never said anything.”

            There was something about the way Octavia looked at her. A difference than how Clarke and Lexa constantly looked at her. There was no pity or much sympathy in Octavia’s eyes. There wasn’t any sense that Octavia was looking at her like she was less of the person than she had been before. Octavia hadn’t _known_ her before, there was no expectation from her to feel how she used to feel, Raven could be who she was now without fear of being judged.

            Raven hadn’t felt anything like that since her accident. It was terrifying and liberating at the same time. Having someone that would take her as she was and not wistfully wish for who she had been made a ball of anxiety that had been settled in her stomach for nearly a year, loosen just a bit.

            She took a deep breath and decided to take the leap because it felt so _right_. She pressed her lips to Octavia’s hard. The kiss was a little awkward at first, Octavia hadn’t expected it and it had been awhile since Raven had kissed another girl. But it felt right, the nerves seemed to settle in Raven’s stomach and a part of her that had not been calmed in a long time seemed to settle too.

            Octavia cupped the side of Raven’s face to keep her steady, almost as if she feared the scientist would try to pull away. She stepped closer, pressing her body to Raven’s once again. When they finally separated, both of them were grinning like idiots.

            “What does that mean?” Octavia licked her lips and searched the dark depths of Raven’s eyes for the answer.

            “I’ll go out with you, yeah.”

            Octavia’s grin seemed to only grow wider and she pressed her lips to Raven’s again, harder this time. Her hands snaked around Raven’s waist and the brunette hopped off of the stool, at the light pressure of Octavia’s hands. Raven’s fingers tangled into the dark, soft tresses of Octavia’s hair.

            Whistles from their surroundings, alerted both women that they were in a very public place. It took a lot of effort for them to separate, but when they did, they were both breathing heavily.

            “Want to get out of here?” Raven asked, all thoughts of her leg pain gone.

~   ~   ~

            Instead of taking Octavia home like the plan had been originally. Both of them decided to go grab some food. The bar was nestled along a strip mall and just up the street was a little diner that seemed to be open twenty-four seven. Raven knew it well, considering when Clarke and Lexa were with her, they normally went there when they were craving something greasy.

            They walked together quietly, though not uncomfortably. With Octavia’s hand in her’s, Raven felt like they didn’t have to speak to fill the silence.  The restaurant was mostly empty and some of the seats were stacked on top of the tables as the employees prepared to close. They took a seat at the breakfast bar when they arrived and smiled at the teenaged waiter.

            “What can I get you ladies this evening?”

            “I’ll have two dozen of Jasper’s finest wings,” Raven grinned.

            “Reyes!? Is that you?” Jasper’s ratty head popped up in the chef’s window and a grin was plastered on his face. “Where’s Clarke and Lexa!? Decided to head home early?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Hold on! I’ll be out there in a second.” The clatter of pots quickly followed until Jasper appeared in the kitchen doorway in all of his greasy glory.

            He was wiping his hands on his apron with one of those shit-eating grins on his face. Jasper was the chef at _All Eats_ diner and Raven had gotten to know him after his failed attempts at getting with Clarke. Eventually, he had given up and they had become friends and Jasper had actually fallen totally in love with Lexa, whether wanting to be her or be with her, sometimes Raven wasn’t sure.

            But Jasper wasn’t any threat to anyone, he was utterly harmless. He was funny and a bit of a weirdo, but he fit in well with Raven and her friends.

            “How are you, Jas?” Raven reached over and slapped his hand with hers.

            “I’m doing just fine. Where are the two pretty ladies? Not that you and your friend aren’t pretty enough.” Jasper extended a hand to Octavia, “Jasper.”

            “Octavia,” the girl responded.

            “Clarke and Lexa did head home, left Octavia and I to fend for ourselves.” Raven shrugged one shoulder. “So what are the special wings today?” Raven leaned closer to Octavia, “Jasper makes the best wings.”

            “I’m more interested in your friend here. Octavia, how did you come about our dear Raven, here?” He rested his elbow on the counter and fluttered his eyelashes at Octavia.

            Raven let her head fall into her hands at his antics, this wasn’t bound to end well.

            “Uh, I’m friends with Lexa. I met Raven tonight,” Octavia turned and grinned at Raven in her embarrassment. “She’s pretty special, huh?”

            Jasper’s eyebrows shot up his forehead at that comment, suddenly realizing what this was. “Oh, I see. Is this a date?” He asked bluntly.

            Raven and Octavia exchanged a look before Raven just sighed in defeat. “Jasper, will you please just make me some chicken wings?”

            “And a salad, please!”

            “A what?!?” Both Jasper and Raven shouted in sync.

            “Um...a salad, it normally has lettuce, tomatoes and maybe some cheese?” Octavia said slowly, surprised by the sudden outburst. Jasper and Raven exchanged a look of horror before turning back to Octavia, looking completely confused. “Guys, I have to watch what I eat, I’m an athlete. Doesn’t Lexa get salads?”

            “Uh, no. Lexa gets our double bacon burger...almost every time. Now what is it that you want, Octavia? I’m not making you a salad.” Jasper shook his head.

            Instead of allowing Octavia to respond, Raven waved her off and spoke to Jasper. “Just get her what I’m getting. She’ll eat it.”

            Jasper left, Octavia’s protests following after him. Their food took a solid twenty minutes, considering they were the only two in the restaurant and their waiter had already turned to the _closed_ sign on the front door. Octavia kept protesting about how Indra was going to kill her if she found out and once Raven got her to calm down, insisted she was going to ride Lexa’s ass for the double bacon burger.

            Her comments caused Raven to laugh and they continued to talk about their lives as Jasper made their food. Octavia talked more about her brother and a bit about her mom, though the subject seemed to be a sore one. Raven spoke a bit about growing up and how she’d met Clarke. Their hands kept wandering, though, and all inhibitions seeming to have disappeared.

            Octavia’s fingers would brush along Raven’s arm or her eyes would fall to Raven’s lips and it made everything inside of Raven go warm and fuzzy. It was also very distracting.

            When their food finally arrived, Jasper stood with them for a bit, talking and laughing about something or other. They told stories about high school and Raven told some about college. There were a couple tossed in there about Clarke and Lexa just because it was hard to keep them out of the conversation no matter what.

            Octavia initially did not want to eat the greasy, drowned chicken wings that were placed before her, but after enough pushing and prodding from Jasper and Raven she dug in. After months of nothing but healthy foods, a pile of greasy food was welcomed. She had almost forgotten what chicken wings had tasted like. _They tasted like heaven._

            An hour later, the darkness outside deepened and Jasper’s eyes becoming heavy lidded. Raven felt like she was about to explode from all of the subtle touches and comments Octavia kept sending her and Octavia seemed to be in the same boat.

It was the first time in a long time that Raven felt so keyed up on someone else. She could see that Octavia was feeling the same way and all she wanted to do was take this girl home with her.

Once they were finished eating, Jasper practically shooed them out of the door, shouting that he had to clean the kitchen or his manager would kill him for all of his overtime.  The two girls stumbled onto the street in the brisk March air and huddled close together for warmth. Octavia looped her arm through Raven’s and they made their way back to the bar where Raven’s car was parked out front.

Their stomachs were heavy with food and both of them were content to take their time. Raven’s fatigue was obvious in the prevalence of her limp and the throbbing in her side and back. But, she chose to ignore it and keep moving forward, enjoying Octavia’s company.

“So where do you want to go now?” Raven mused, not wanting their night to end and too scared to ask her to come home with me.

“I don’t want to go home, if that’s what you mean,” Octavia stopped and sidled up even closer to Raven. She slipped her other arm around Raven’s waist and stepped closer. “I’m having too good of a time with you.”

Raven hummed and brushed a thumb over Octavia’s face, “I’m having a great time with you too.”

Octavia grinned, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “So isn’t this where you invite me back to your place? Or am I being too forward?”

Raven’s heart leapt in her chest as it had done many times this evening, she was almost certain Octavia would give her a heart attack at some point. “I guess it wouldn’t be too far out of the question...if you would want to,” she wrinkled her nose uncomfortably.

Rather than answering vocally, Octavia stretched upward and pressed her lips to Raven’s. It was like setting fire to Raven’s blood all over again, her fingers brushed down the curve of Octavia's neck and settled at her jaw. Her stomach dropped and warmed considerably as they kissed, their bodies pushing and pulling at each other.

Octavia’s hand creeped up and intertwined with Raven’s before she pulled away, “Let’s go.” Raven’s brain was so hazy, they were already in a cab at the end of the street when she remembered her car. But Octavia’s lips were back on hers and she didn’t really have the brain capacity to protest.

~   ~   ~

            They were on the doorstep of Raven’s house, a modest two bedroom and one bath that Raven had invested in when she and Finn had still been together. But Raven’s brain was much farther away from Finn than it ever had been before.

            Her mind was focused on the feeling of Octavia’s lips on her neck and her blunt fingernails scraping over the curves of her hips. Her fingers were tangled in dark, loose waves and her back was pressed up against her own front door.

            Somehow she managed to pry herself away from Octavia and get the door open. The two women stumbled into the house and Octavia kicked the door shut behind them. Their lips were reconnected in a moment and Raven was running her hands under the lapels of Octavia’s jacket before pushing it down the smaller woman’s shoulders.

            It dropped to the ground in a moment and Octavia pulled away for a split second. Her eyes took in the entryway and living room for a split second before she met Raven’s eyes again, “Nice house.”

            “Uh, thanks,” Raven breathed and ran a hand through her hair before taking her jacket off too and letting it drop to the floor. “Now come back here.” She crooked her finger and Octavia surged forward again, pressing light kisses along Raven’s jaw before trailing them down her neck.

            Raven drew Octavia with her, heading backwards deeper into her house until they reached the hallway. Their kisses grew more heated and Raven’s shirt was yanked over her head in a split second. The MMA fighter took a moment to admire the woman before her, unable to believe that this woman before her wanted her.

As things headed towards the point of no return a tight knot developed in the pit of Raven’s stomach and when Octavia’s hands reached down her thighs and tried to lift her up against the wall, Raven squeaked pain radiating down her leg. “Stop, stop.”

            It came out rushed and Octavia practically shoved herself away. “What? What happened?”

            “I can’t, my leg.”

            Octavia’s eyes were wild with confusion and fear that she had done something wrong. Her stomach tightened and for a split second, she thought she was going to throw up. “What do you mean?”

            “I’m sorry,” Raven reached out trying to grab Octavia’s hand, or reassure her in some physical way. “My leg, I can’t...be lifted, I guess. It's hard to explain.”

            “Oh,” Octavia allowed Raven to take her hand and squeeze it. Her thumb brushed lightly back and forth lightly over the back of Octavia’s hand. “What...can you teach me? I don’t want to hurt you.” She stepped forward cautiously, her mood changing as if she thought she was going to break Raven at any moment.

            “You won’t,” Raven smiled softly and her freehand settled on the curve of Octavia’s hip. She slid her hand under Octavia’s shirt. “Just, you know, be careful.”

            “Yeah,” Octavia breathed a settling breath and raised her arms over her head, allowing Raven to drag her shirt over her head.

            “God, you’re pretty.” Octavia’s body was just as muscular and perfectly built as Raven had imagined. She had those soft curves and sharp hip bones while her stomach held a six-pack and her muscles were so ripped it made Raven swoon. Her skin was soft and Raven could feel every flex and shift in her muscles.

            Octavia smiled, “So are you.” She leaned forward once again and pressed a tender kiss to Raven’s lips. It was much more chaste than the previous ones, tinged with emotions neither of them chose to voice. Raven nipped lightly at Octavia’s lower lip before slipping her tongue past Octavia’s. They both groaned, hands searching and learning each other’s bodies.

            They moved backwards into Raven’s bedroom, bodies pressed tightly together.

            The fighter’s hand found Raven’s lower back and the brunette tensed as those calloused hands brushed lightly over the jagged scar running along her skin. Octavia brushed lightly at it for a split second before pressing harder, more passionate kisses to Raven’s lips. It didn’t matter to her that her body may have been scarred or permanently injured, Raven was still beautiful and whole in her own way.

Raven’s stomach tightened again as Octavia’s hand reached for the waistband of her pants. The nerves seemed to get the best of her and she pulled away again. Octavia frowned in confusion, pulling her hand away from where it was heading, “Are you okay?”

She struggled to find the words to explain how she was feeling. Her stomach had tightened painfully, almost as badly constricted as her throat. “I…I haven’t…not since…before.”

            The confusion seemed to disappear off of Octavia’s faced, replaced by understanding, “I see. There’s nothing to worry about, Raven. You’re beautiful no matter what.”

            Raven shook her head, eyelids fluttering as she tried to look anywhere but at Octavia. Her eyes felt wet and she rolled them up towards the ceiling to try to alleviate the tears threatening. The younger girl seemed to see right through the walls Raven tried to throw up and brushed a strand of dark hair behind a pink ear.

            “We don’t have to do anything if you’re not ready. I’m not going to push you, Raven.” Octavia’s voice was tender, laced with a soothing element that made some of the tension in her shoulders melt away.

            Dark brown eyes finally met Octavia’s and she nodded. “Are you sure…? I just...I thought I was ready and you’re really sweet, obviously,” Raven gestured vaguely at their surroundings, “I just...I’m not ready, but I don’t want to put you out.”

            Octavia took a firm hold of both of Raven’s hands as they flailed about uselessly. She lightly coaxed the taller woman to sit on the edge of the bed and smile, “Raven, you don’t have to be ready right now and you’re not putting me out. Do you want me to sleep on the couch?”

            “No?” Raven’s eyes were wide, doey like a child’s and full of fear and a bit of hope. “Could you...would you be willing to stay here? I mean, I may not be ready for sex, but we could...you know, kiss a little.”

            The MMA fighter smirked, kneeling down between Raven’s legs so their faces were closer together. “You liked kissing me?” she teased, quirking an eyebrow.

            “Too much, probably.” Raven nodded, blushing hard. Her entire body was flushed with heat and embarrassment. She didn’t want to think about how much of an idiot she was so instead, Raven pressed her lips to Octavia’s once again.

They both kept it slow, opting for the lighter, relaxed pace that Raven wanted. Octavia’s hands lightly and slowly trailed up Raven’s thighs, allowing ample time for the girl to tell her if she didn’t like it. They would take it slow, Octavia vowed, she could do slow.

Raven grasped at Octavia’s back, pulling her closer until they both were lying comfortably on the bed. The raven-haired woman allowed her hands to roam over the muscles she had been admiring the entire night, enjoying the way they jumped under her touch. Their lips moved in sync and Raven lightly bit at Octavia’s lower lip until she could deepen the kiss.

It was several minutes of making out later that Octavia’s knee bumped against the metal of the brace encasing Raven’s knee. She stopped and pulled away, a half developed plan forming in her head. “Do you trust me?” she whispered, making small circles on Raven’s hipbone with her thumb.

A flash of nervousness brightened Raven’s eyes for a moment before she nodded.

“Good, lay on your back for me,” Octavia scooted away a little, allowing Raven room to move. Once the woman was on her back, Octavia shifted over her, resting lightly between her hips. “Is this okay?”

Raven nodded, licking her lips nervously. This felt like her first time all over again, all fumbly and novice at things she’d already been doing for years. She guessed it was her first time, especially since she now had a bum leg to contend with. Octavia didn’t rest her full weight on her, but she was very much aware of every inch of skin touching her own.

The younger girl leaned down, her elbow resting by Raven’s head as she pressed their lips together again. They built it slowly again, until both were panting and their lips were kiss-swollen. Octavia pulled back just enough to trail light, nibbling kisses along the column of Raven’s neck. The breathy moans she received sent heat right to her core and all she wanted was to hear more of them.

Her lips lavished Raven’s collarbones with attention hesitantly until she was certain it was accepted. Then she trailed lower, bypassing Raven’s bra and lightly raking her blunt nails over her sides.

Raven was not very loud in bed she noted, but when she received a couple of breathy profanities, she smirked against tanned skin.  Everything in her wanted to keep making those words unintentionally escape the mouth, but she had a completely different intent.

She moved lower, brushing her lips over hard, flexing abs before pulling away. There was a glowing light in the hallway, casting a fluorescent shadow over Raven’s body. It was just bright enough to see by.

There was a jagged, pale pink scar stretching around the curve of Raven’s side. It was fully healed and growing smaller as healthier cells replaced the old ones but it was the type of injury that never faded.

There were other scars too, much smaller and less prominent, but it built a horrible image in Octavia’s head. She tried not to let the bad feelings get to her so she glanced up at Raven, “Is this okay?”

The darker girl didn’t seem to notice her change in mood and nodded. Her eyes were somehow darker, like obsidian and her cheeks were flushed a bright, endearing red.

Octavia’s hand trailed down the material of skin-tight jeans and brushed lightly over the metal at the very top of the brace. “Can I?”

Raven’s mood finally seemed to flip and she sat up abruptly, her nerves and defensive walls instantly shooting up. “I don’t think...I mean...I can do it...nobody has…well, I mean.” She rambled and Octavia found it cute, if not a little saddening because, God, this girl was so untrusting it hurt.

She smiled softly and sat back up, leaning backwards a bit to put a bit of distance between them. “Raven, calm down. It’s okay. You’re okay, I probably wouldn’t be able to work with all of the straps anyway.”

Those brown eyes seemed to soften and a deep shuddering breath seemed to calm the woman. The concern and obvious care in Octavia’s eyes made Raven pause. Maybe it was the alcohol making her feel bolder or her developing feelings towards the woman before her, but she nodded. “Go ahead, it's okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Raven swallowed hard and shifted backwards, moving some pillows so she could lean against them. She reached over to her bedside and flicked on the lamp there to provide some light to see by.

Octavia stared at the task before her. Initially, she had ignored the brace and the limp. There wasn’t anything about it that turned her off to Raven, it was just a part of the woman she was. It was bigger than she thought it was. Several straps laced over the front of Raven’s pants while a hard-looking scoop braced her calf and straightened the back of her knee. There was a big, metal and plastic clasp at the top, eclipsing most of Raven’s thigh and making it difficult for her to bend her leg at all.

She started off with the straps in the middle, they were straight-forward and simple to disconnect. Then she moved downward, working the clips and loop straps of the ankle piece until it was open. She slowed down when she got to the top, where it looked more complicated than she could possibly handle.

Raven chuckled softly when she hesitated and reached over, undoing the last of the straps. She lifted her leg and Octavia watched her face as it twisted in pain. She didn’t comment though, only pulled the brace out from underneath the brunette and placing it carefully on the floor.

“You can slide it under the bed.” Octavia did as directed and sat back up on the bed.

They stared at each other for a moment and a gut feeling had Octavia standing and carefully evaluating Raven’s bedroom. It was simple, yet cluttered with things that didn’t seem to belong in a bedroom. There was some sort of mechanical project on a desk in the far corner, a dirty bucket of screws on her dresser and clothes laid folded neatly in spots while others were thrown about and wrinkled. “Where do you put your PJs? We should get comfortable.”

“I can get them,” Raven put her hands underneath her, and moved carefully until her legs were on the floor. Her face contorted in pain when her back spasmed and the muscles in her thigh tensed and tightened painfully. She held her breath to keep any noise from escaping and glanced at Octavia to see if she had noticed. Luckily, she hadn’t.

            Even though she hadn’t seen the pain Raven was in, something in Octavia refused to allow the other woman to move. Her leg had to have hurt, she’d noticed the small grimaces when Raven thought she wasn’t looking while they had been out. It had been a long time since she had danced too, so maybe she had strained it or overused it. Octavia wasn’t completely sure, but she didn’t want her hurting herself.

            “I’ve got it, just tell me where they are and take off your pants,” she waved the stubborn girl off casually. Raven finally told her and carefully, painfully yanked her jeans off. As she did most nights, she silently swore off wearing tight jeans ever again. They were difficult to get off of her stupid bum leg and made everything more painful. But still, they made her ass look good and were the only pants that worked with the brace.

            Octavia turned back around and had to consciously take a deep breath when she found Raven sitting in her bed in a matching set of underwear. Her bra was black and lacy, her underwear were the same. Desire slammed into her gut almost painfully and she glanced away. She tossed a t-shirt and a pair of short she’d found onto the bed at Raven’s side. “There.”

            She didn’t dwell on it, but quickly turned her back to the older girl and changed out of her pants and into a pair of Raven’s shorts. They were tight on her hips, but still comfortable enough to wear.

            When they were both settled in bed, they stayed several inches apart. Their bodies didn’t touch and it felt like the room was holding its breath they were so tense. Raven was the first to make a move, finding their sudden awkwardness annoying and stupid so she turned on her side and tossed her good leg over Octavia’s waist.

            “I can’t sleep on my back, this takes the pressure off of it.” she breathed, burrowing her face into Octavia’s hair. It smelled like something spicy and a little earthy, with an underlying smell of something industrial, as if the gym was permanently a part of her scent.

            Subconsciously, Octavia’s arm curled around the back of Raven’s elegant neck, her fingers tangling in dark hair. She tilted her head to the side, her nose brushing Raven’s forehead and she tried to subtly breathe in her scent. Raven’s fingers moved soothingly over the t-shirt she was wearing, but it did nothing to sooth the athlete.

She grasped Raven’s hand and silently slid it under the hem of her shirt, after a beat, her thumb started moving again, brushing softly over Octavia’s hipbone.

“Goodnight, Raven.”

“Night, Octavia,” Raven breathed and Octavia could feel every hot puff on her collarbone long after Raven had fallen to sleep.

~   ~   ~

            Raven awoke the next morning to a blaring alarm. She hated it.

            They hadn’t moved much in their sleep, Raven still draped over Octavia, if not a little more than the night before. Raven’s hand had somehow creeped further up Octavia’s borrowed shirt until she was nearly groping the other girl.

            Octavia stretched and groaned loudly, her fingers brushing over Raven’s bare arm before grasping her phone on the bedside table. “Hello?”

            Her voice was thick and gravelly with sleep, Raven would be lying if she said she didn’t like it. In the silence, she could hear the response on the other end. “ _Where the hell are you, O?”_

            It was Lexa and she sounded irritated.

            “I’m,” Octavia glanced down at Raven, whose head turned up to look at her. “I’m at Raven’s.”

            “ _Oh,_ ” Lexa’s voice took on a different tone. “ _I see, well, how was it?_ ”

            Octavia rolled her eyes, “We didn’t sleep together, Lexa.”

            “ _But_ -”

            “Yeah, I don’t always go home with girls just to get lucky,” Octavia responded. “Is Indra pissed?”

            “ _Yeah, she is, actually. So you should probably get here as soon as you can._ ”

            “Fine, I’m on my way, make up an excuse for me. If she finds out I was with a girl she’ll have _the talk_ with me, like she did with you.”

            “ _Don’t get distracted by a pretty face, dumbass_ ,” Lexa’s voice dropped lower and became a bit snotty. “ _Honestly, I think she’s pissed she’s working with two gay girls. She doesn’t understand how we work._ ”

            Octavia chuckled. “You’re probably right, anyway. I’ll be there in like...twenty minutes.”

            She hung up the phone and glanced down at Raven, who had groaned and buried her face deeper into Octavia’s hair at the notion of her leaving. It was the first time the first thought she had when she woke up wasn’t about her leg. “Don’t leeeeave.”

            “I need to, or I may get my face ruined. I don’t think either of us want that.”

            Raven’s eyes fluttered open and she smirked, “You’re a neanderthal, I bet you could take this Indra chick.”

            “She’s training me, Raven, she’s like...the queen of the neanderthals. Even though I am offended that you called me that.”

            “Oh come on,” she rolled her eyes, a smile still plastered to her face. She propped her head on her hand and leaned over Octavia, brushing her free hand over her jaw as she spoke, “You have to admit this jawline is barbarically sharp.”

            “That doesn’t even make sense, barbarians were not very intelligent,” Octavia laughed, though she was distracted by soft fingers on her skin.

            Raven’s grin only widened, “You just admitted you’re not very intelligent.”

            “I _did not_ ,” Octavia smacked Raven’s arm, mirth playing in those hazel eyes and then settling into a smile on her lips.

            Chuckling, Raven leaned down and brought their smiling lips together in a tender, carefree kiss. They settled into each other again, a collective sigh of relief coming from them both as they kissed. It was Octavia who forced them apart.

            “I have to go,” she pouted and shrugged one shoulder apologetically. “I don’t want to get my ass beat like last time.”

Raven sighed and carefully rolled off of the younger girl, groaning at the stiffness in her muscles and the ache in her spine. It was still early, she knew, the sun was barely peaking through her window so it couldn’t have been much later than six. She didn’t have to be to her therapy appointment until nine.

Octavia climbed out of bed and stretched carefully. “Are you going to get up?”

“No,” Raven tried to roll subtly into the warm spot Octavia had vacated and breathed in her scent on the pillows. “I’m going back to sleep.” She was too, she could feel her eyes growing heavy once again, relaxing back into her sheets.

“Fine, Noodle,” Octavia leaned over and pressed a kiss to Raven’s forehead, “I’ll show myself out.”

Raven hummed and buried her face in Octavia’s pillow again. She heard the door to her bedroom close softly before succumbing to sleep once again.

When she awoke again, it was to a dull pain in her back. It was embedded deep, a throbbing that wouldn’t go away until she managed to go to therapy. They did some sort of massage along her back and leg until she felt better every two weeks and it normally helped for the first week and a half.

Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned at the substantial light filtering through the window. The sheets still smelled like Octavia and it took a moment for Raven to place it, because she still couldn’t really believe it. She had taken a girl home with her last night, for the first time since before Finn. The girl had been so sweet and caring and incredibly _thoughtful_ and considerate about everything it felt took good to be true. But it was true and Raven’s eyes fell on a cup that proved it.

The Starbucks logo greeted her, followed by a pale yellow sticky note with a loopy scrawl on it. _Good morning, Raven. You mentioned last night that you like Starbucks so I got you a cup. Hope you don’t mind I let myself back in. Have a great day. Text me xx ~O_

At the bottom was Octavia’s number with a little winky face by it. It made Raven’s stomach flutter. She buried her face back into the pillow, relaxing at Octavia’s scent that was still there, she didn’t want it to ever go away. _God, she was falling for this girl_.


End file.
